₦airaland Forum

Kanu Agabi, former Attorney-General of the Federation and lead counsel to the detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, Nnamdi Kanu, on Thursday, applied to withdraw his representation in the ongoing terrorism trial before the Federal High Court in Abuja.

Kanu is facing trial on a seven-count charge bordering on terrorism, filed against him by the Federal Government.

When the matter was called on Thursday, Agabi informed the court that he would no longer be representing the IPOB leader, adding that the defendant had decided to take back the case from them.

In the same manner, all the Senior Advocates of Nigeria involved in the matter case also announced their withdrawal from the case.

Kanu, confirming the development, told the court that he would be representing himself for now, but noted that the position might change later.

The trial judge, Justice James Omotosho, asked whether he should assign a lawyer to represent him, but the defendant (Kanu) declined.

Meanwhile, addressing the court orally, Kanu argued that the court lacked jurisdiction to try him.

Recall that Justice Omotosho, on October 16, granted the defendant six consecutive days, beginning from October 23, to open and close his defence in view of the accelerated hearing earlier granted in the case.

Soldier On Holiday Shot Dead By Herders After Challenging Them For Brandishing Firearms In Kwara

Gunmen suspected to be herders have killed an unidentified soldier in Manzhakwa community, Patigi Local Government Area of Kwara State.

According to sources in the area, the incident occurred on Tuesday when the soldier, who was said to be home on holiday, confronted a group of herders reportedly seen moving around the community with firearms.

A resident, who spoke to SaharaReporters on condition of anonymity, said the soldier challenged the herders after noticing their weapons. In an attempt to disarm them, the confrontation turned violent, and the herders overpowered and killed him on the spot.

“The soldier was on break and came home to see his family. But when he saw the Fulani men carrying guns, he tried to question them. He attempted to disarm them, but they resisted. In the struggle, they attacked him and killed him,” the source said.

A disturbing video obtained by SaharaReporters shows the soldier lying motionless as fellow troops and residents gather around his body. In the background, some villagers are heard expressing anger and fear over the growing security threats in the area.

In a similar incident, on October 13, 2025, SaharaReporters reported that bandits had invaded Mawogi village in Patigi Local Government Area of Kwara State, killing a youth leader and injuring his mother during a late-night attack that left residents in shock.

The attack, which occurred between 11 p.m. and midnight, claimed the life of Yanma Ndawodi, the youth leader of the community, while his mother, Gogo Fatima, sustained serious gunshot injuries.

According to residents, the assailants stormed the quiet community, shooting indiscriminately and spreading panic among villagers.

SaharaReporters gathered that the gunmen also kidnapped five residents during the invasion. However, three of the abducted victims later escaped, while two others, identified as Ndagi Kudu and Hawau, remain in captivity

Soldier found dead after chasing attacker in Kwara

By: Zagazola Makama

A Nigerian Army personnel has been found dead after pursuing an assailant in Twatagi village, Patigi Local Government Area of the state.

Zagazola Makama gathered that the incident occurred on Oct. 21, 2025, around 5:30 p.m., when the deceased soldier, Private Usman Alhaji attached to Apapa, Lagos, was riding on a motorcycle with one Muhammad Baba, a native of Twatagi village.

While on their way to Patigi town, they encountered a man walking along the road with a stick, who suddenly struck them as they passed by. The man immediately fled into the bush.

The sources stated that Private Alhaji pursued the assailant on foot but failed to return. After waiting for hours without seeing him, Muhammad Baba reportedly searched the area but could not locate the soldier.

However, at about 2:00 p.m. the following day, villagers discovered the lifeless body of the soldier in the bush.

Police operatives visited the scene and observed that the victim sustained a stab wound to the neck.

The body was released to the family for burial in accordance with Islamic rites, while efforts are ongoing to identify and apprehend the perpetrator.

The former Governor of Osun State and National Secretary of the African Democratic Congress, ADC, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, has declared the party the only credible alternative political platform ahead of the 2027 general elections, positioning it as a party of conscience and service to Nigerians.

Aregbesola made the remark on Saturday during the official unveiling of the ADC’s new state secretariat in Ilorin, the Kwara State capital.

He criticised the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, for what he described as poor governance and failure to meet the expectations of Nigerians.

“Under the current administration, hunger has taken over the land. Governance has been reduced to personal enrichment and political intimidation,” Aregbesola said. “Nigerians are suffering because of the failure of leadership under the APC.”

He maintained that the worsening economic hardship in the country would translate into increased public support for ADC, which he described as a party rooted in discipline, accountability, and service to the people.

Also speaking at the event, former Kwara State Governor, Alhaji Abdulfatah Ahmed, said the emergence of ADC marked the dawn of a new political movement in Kwara. According to him, the party is determined to create a governance model that reflects the collective aspirations of the people.

“Kwara is going to be different because the ADC is poised to entrench a new order that represents the true will of our people,” Ahmed said. “Our farmers are suffering due to insecurity, and the government must restore confidence so that they can safely return to their farms.”

In his remarks, ADC’s National Publicity Secretary and former Minister of Youth and Sports, Bolaji Abdullahi, asserted that the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, had lost relevance, insisting that ADC now stands as the only viable opposition party both in Kwara and across Nigeria.

“Would you believe this party was unveiled only three months ago? That shows the people have embraced us,” Abdullahi said. “The question is no longer whether Kwarans want the APC, they don’t. The real question is whether we can convince them that ADC is the credible alternative, and that’s what we’ll achieve by 2027.”

He also expressed concern over the rising insecurity in the state, particularly in rural areas, emphasising ADC’s commitment to promoting safety and good governance.
“Our people can no longer farm safely, and that’s why the ADC is building a party that truly represents their interests,” Abdullahi added.

Every evil that the APC once condemned, they now practice and support. APC is a party filled with the most corrupt people surrounded by the worst sycophants. A marriage of doom and misfortune! Tueh Kelebe!

The dissolved Enugu State Executive Committee of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has rejected its dissolution by the party’s National Working Committee (NWC), insisting that it was not informed of any constitutional breach, misconduct, or infraction to justify such action.

In a 12-point statement signed by members of the dissolved 40-member executive, the group maintained that it was duly elected in accordance with the provisions of the APC Constitution (2022 as amended). They described the dissolution as inconsistent with the party’s constitution and principles of internal democracy.

The statement read in part:

“The attention of the Enugu State Executive Committee of the APC has been drawn to a resolution purportedly passed by the National Working Committee (NWC) during its 179th meeting held on October 9, 2025, wherein it allegedly dissolved the duly elected Enugu State Executive Committee and appointed a seven-man caretaker committee led by Mr. Ben Nwoye.

“We wish to state unequivocally that the Enugu State Executive Committee was duly elected through the party congress in accordance with the APC Constitution. The Enugu State Chapter of the APC was never informed of any constitutional breach, misconduct, or infraction that could justify the purported dissolution.”

Citing Articles 21.1, 21.2, and 21.3 of the APC Constitution, the statement argued that only the National Executive Committee (NEC), upon recommendation from the Zonal Executive Committee, has the authority to institute disciplinary proceedings against a state executive.

“The purported dissolution by the NWC therefore amounts to a gross overreach and is unconstitutional, as the Enugu State Executive Committee has neither disobeyed any directive nor engaged in any act of indiscipline,” it stated.

The dissolved EXCO also alleged that most of those named to serve in the caretaker committee were not in good standing with the party, claiming that some had been suspended for anti-party activities, while one had previously resigned from the APC.

The statement further directed all elected officers at the state, local government, and ward levels to remain in their positions and continue carrying out their constitutional responsibilities.

“All members of the APC in Enugu State are hereby instructed to disregard any purported dissolution or caretaker arrangement, as those behind it lack the constitutional authority to issue such directives. Members are strongly advised not to attend or participate in any meeting convened by the said caretaker committee or its agents,” the statement concluded.

The Enugu APC crisis deepened following the NWC’s October 9 resolution, which announced the dissolution of the state executive and appointment of an interim leadership to oversee party affairs pending further directives from the national secretariat

#SuswamNews

Moments ago, I received telephone calls from well-meaning Benuelites and leaders, alerting me to trending news on Benue's social media space purporting that the former governor of Benue State, His Excellency Senator Gabriel Torwua Suswam, PhD. CON is set to defect to the All Progressives Congress (APC) today and would be received by the Governor of Benue State, His Excellency Reverend Father Hyacinth Alia, this evening at the Banquet Hall of the Benue State Government House.

I debunk this unholy rumour with all vehemence as it doesn't represent the current interests of Senator Gabriel Suswam or that of his supporters across the state and should be treated as a mere rumour and that's all.

What I know is that two days ago, the Governor of Benue State HE. Rev. Fr. Hyacinth Alia respectfully extended an invitation to Sen. Suswam, among other stakeholders, expressing his desire to attend a State Banquet slated for 10th October 2025.

It should be noted that as a former Governor of the State, Suswam is a stakeholder in the Benue project, thus his reason for accepting the invitation.

There was no indication in the invitation letter that it was a political event or a decamping ceremony whatsoever.

The former governor advises his supporters and well-wishers to disregard this rumour as it is baseless, aimless, and a lie from the deepest pit of hell.

Suswam appreciates everyone who called in for further enquiries and concerns and wishes everyone a happy weekend ahead.

Bede Bartholomew
Media Aide to HE Sen Gabriel Suswam
10th, October 2025.

The African Democratic Congress has called on President Bola Tinubu to accept the World Bank’s latest report, which reveals that 139 million Nigerians now live below the poverty line, as an undeniable verdict on his administration’s failed economic policies.

The ADC National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, said the report exposed the widening gap between government propaganda of progress and the harsh realities faced by millions of citizens whose lives and livelihoods have been allegedly devastated under the All Progressives Congress-led government.

The World Bank’s October 2025 report, released on Wednesday, revealed that the number of Nigerians living below the poverty line has risen to 139 million, up from 81 million in 2019.

Reacting swiftly, the Presidency had rejected the figures, describing them as “unrealistic” and not reflective of Nigeria’s current economic situation

In a post on his official X handle, the President’s Special Adviser on Media and Public Communication, Sunday Dare, argued that the poverty data cited in the report should be “properly contextualised” within the framework of global poverty assessment models.

However, in its reaction on Thursday, the ADC accused the government of concealing its domestic economic shortcomings with manipulated statistics designed to project false images of progress while citizens continue to endure hardship.

ADC stated, “The African Democratic Congress has been studying the October 2025 World Bank Report, which states that 139 million Nigerians now live below the poverty line, up from 81 million in 2019. That figure, representing 61 per cent of the population, is clear evidence that the economic policies of the Tinubu-led APC government have actually sent more Nigerians into abject poverty, contrary to the government’s performance propaganda and claims of progress.

“The World Bank numbers tell a simple but painful story: under the APC and President Bola Tinubu’s government, more Nigerians have fallen into poverty than at any other time in our history. In 2019, four out of 10 Nigerians were poor. Today, it is, at least, six out of 10.

“We recall that President Tinubu, in his recent Independence Day address to the nation, declared triumphantly that the worst is over while bandying statistics which have now been proven to be calculated whitewash to serve the government’s narrative of progress. However, what is important is the reality that those numbers were meant to hide. Behind President Tinubu’s shiny statistics are the grim realities of historic human suffering — families skipping meals, children dropping out of school, and households selling assets just to buy food and basic drugs to survive.

“Under the APC, nearly 30 million Nigerians have now joined the ranks of the ultra-poor — those who, even if they spend every naira they earn on food, still cannot afford enough calories to survive.”

The ADC maintained that Nigeria’s current challenge requires more than superficial reforms, stressing that the nation needs a government committed to prioritising the people and recognising that inclusive growth is a deliberate and practical strategy, not just a political slogan.

It continued, “While the government celebrates record revenue collection and the illusion of economic stability, the World Bank’s data shows that Nigerians are actually growing poorer by the day. Food inflation has gone through the roof, with the price of a bag of rice multiplying five times in just four years. Poor families now spend roughly 70 percent of their income on food, leaving nothing for rent, school fees, or medicine.

“The so-called social safety nets that should protect the vulnerable have also collapsed. Coverage has fallen from 20 percent in 2019 to just six percent in 2025. The government’s support for the poorest citizens is almost non-existent, amounting to a mere 0.14 percent of GDP compared to a global average of 1.5 percent.

“What all this means is that Nigerians are worse off under the APC and President Bola Tinubu’s government. And contrary to the President’s claim, the worst is not over; instead, it appears that the worst has actually not arrived. Rather than continuing to dig in to defend its propaganda, the government should accept the unbiased verdict from its partner, the World Bank, and try to make amends before it is too late.

“To make matters worse, the government’s entire approach to poverty measurement now seems designed to flatter itself rather than to help the poor. Nigeria’s domestic poverty threshold, roughly N137,000 per month, or about $90, sits far below the global real-value benchmark. By using a deflated local measure, the government effectively undercounts millions of poor Nigerians.”

The ADC urged the Tinubu-led government to stop boasting about revenue gains and instead focus on food security, job creation, and social protection for the 139 million Nigerians hurt by its poor economic policies.

FarahAideed:
You give him Thumbs up even though you know he to is plagued with such accusations

zero8zero:
Go to court